| Pak breaks ceasefire in Kupwara; IED foiled, terror hideout busted | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Jan 21: Tension flared once again along the Line of Control (LoC) on Wednesday as Pakistan violated the ceasefire in the Keran sector of Kupwara district, triggering a strong and effective retaliation by Indian security forces. Officials said the firing was unprovoked, and troops responded with heavy cross-border fire, forcing the adversary to fall silent. Amid the rising security alert, forces also averted a major tragedy in South Kashmir after recovering an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Shopian. The explosive was safely seized and defused, preventing what could have been a deadly attack on civilians and security personnel.
These developments come close on the heels of Operation Trashi-I, a high-intensity joint operation by the Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police in the dense forests of Kishtwar, which concluded after three days with the busting of a major terrorist hideout. The operation, launched on Monday in Sonar village near Mandral-Singhpora in the Chatru belt, dealt a significant blow to terror networks operating in the region.
However, the success came at a heavy cost. One brave soldier laid down his life in the line of duty, while seven other security personnel sustained injuries during fierce encounters with heavily armed terrorists entrenched in a Kargil-style fortified bunker.
Security forces recovered massive stocks of ration and logistics from the hideout, clearly indicating long-term terror plans. The seized material included over 50 packets of Maggi, tomatoes, potatoes, nearly 15 varieties of spices, 20 kilograms of premium basmati rice, pulses, cooking gas cylinders and dry wood—enough to sustain a terror module for several months.
Meanwhile, intelligence inputs point to a major Pakistan-backed conspiracy brewing across the border. According to reports, terror outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), with active backing from the Pakistan Army and ISI, are allegedly planning a large-scale terror strike in a major Indian city, including targets in Jammu and Kashmir.
Earlier intelligence assessments had also warned about the presence of Pakistani terrorists hiding in the thick forests and hilly terrain of Kathua, Poonch, Rajouri, Kishtwar, Doda, Udhampur and Reasi districts of Jammu division, prompting intensified search operations and round-the-clock surveillance.
In view of the escalating threats, security forces have tightened the security grid, stepped up area domination patrols and enhanced intelligence coordination to thwart any fresh infiltration or terror attempt. |
|
